1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of communication devices. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved telephone device including an improved and more ergonomic grip or handle.
2. Background of the Invention
Early wireless telephones including cellular telephones, satellite phones, CDMA or PCS type phones, and the like, included large housings which contained large and heavy batteries and extensive electronic circuitry. The weight and size of such wireless telephones have steadily decreased over the years. This weight and size decrease results in part, from the integration of electronic functions and operations of a wireless telephone into semiconductor integrated devices such as digital signal processors. Also, smaller more powerful batteries have been developed and utilized in such telephones.
In spite of their smaller size, many wireless telephones are still too large to be carried in a coat or shirt pocket of a user. The user, therefore, must either carry the telephone in a bag or brief case, carry the telephone in his hand, or carry the telephone in a case which is attached to, for example, an article of clothing such as a belt or pants. However, these methods of carrying such a telephone are not as convenient as carrying it in the user's coat or shirt pocket. Thus, wireless telephone manufacturers continue to make their telephones smaller and easier to carry.
Form and function requirements related to the operation of wireless telephones limit how small such a telephone can be. For example, one such limiting operational requirement is that such a telephone must be long enough so that a user's mouth and ear can be simultaneously disposed proximate to a microphone and a speaker, respectively. Another limiting operational requirement is that such a telephone must be large enough so that its display and its keypad are large enough to allow a user to efficiently perform operations and/or enter or read alphanumeric data.
In order to make wireless telephones smaller, such telephones of the prior art are constructed with panels that are moveable so as to configure a cellular telephone from a storage configuration to an operational configuration, and vice versa. More specifically, a wireless telephone is constructed such that the interface devices (e.g., speaker, microphone, display, and keypad) are disposed on one or more moveable panels which are pivotally joined or slidably attached to a main body. When such a telephone is to be stored, the moveable panels are folded onto, slid over, or slide into the main body thereby placing it into the storage configuration which is small enough to fit into a coat or shirt pocket of a user. When the wireless telephone is to be operated as a telephone, the moveable panels are folded out from or slide out of the main body thereby placing it into the operational configuration that is large enough to permit a user to efficiently use the interface devices of the telephone.
FIG. 1 schematically depicts a user 10 grasping a wireless telephone 12 with a hand 11. When using the telephone 12 as a telephone (i.e., simultaneously disposing the speaker and the microphone of the telephone 12 proximate to the ear and mouth, respectively, of the user 10), the user 10 generally grasps the telephone 12 along the edges 13 so as to not block the interface devices such as microphone or speaker, or so as not to engage interface devices such as the keypad or function keys. Grasping the telephone in this manner urges the wrist of the user 10 out of its neutral position and rotates the wrist backward into an awkward position causing an uncomfortable flexing in the forearm and tension in the shoulder of the user. When using telephones, keyboards and the like, it is highly desirable to maintain one's wrists in the neutral position so as to relieve stress and tension in one's arms and wrists, thereby reducing fatigue and avoiding physical injury. When the arms of a user are dangled straight down by his side, the user's wrists are straight and disposed in the so called "neutral" position. What is needed, is a wireless telephone which is small enough to slide into a user's coat or shirt pocket, includes adequately sized displays and keypad, and, when used as a telephone, maintains the user's wrist in the neutral position.